Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework: An Indicator to Monitor the Threats to Inland Fisheries, as a Component of Target 5

The Species Use Database (SpUD) has been created by the IUCN Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group (SULi) to help address this problem by collecting and synthesising information on the utilization of wild species globally, and specifically on the sustainability of that use.

The database is intended to appeal to a broad spectrum of users, from those in policy and decision-making, to academia and educators, conservation practitioners, civil society and NGOs, as well as any individuals interested and keen to learn more about the use of wild species. The individual records – and the periodic syntheses of these – can be used to guide and feed into sound policies and decision-making, that enhance legal, sustainable, equitable wildlife management practices and draw attention to those that are illegal, unsustainable and inequitable.

Rainforest Connection (RFCx) has built the connective tissue to make acoustics a scalable worldwide approach to data collection and analysis for conservation. Our platform, including tools for biodiversity analysis and threat detection and a suite of hardware, enables people to understand ecosystem impacts.

The RFCx system can be used to:

• Send real-time alerts to people who are able to investigate potential threats.
• Find patterns of activity for planned interventions and measure effectiveness of responses.
• Accommodate large data sets that can be used for biodiversity monitoring and shared.
• Facilitate in-depth, long-term acoustic monitoring.
• Evaluate the impacts of different management or conservation activities.
• Follow the population dynamics of species over many years.

Ol Pejeta is home to the largest population of critically endangered black rhinos in E. Africa. Protecting them and other wildlife is a great responsibility and we utilize technology where it adds value. In 2019 we rolled out EarthRanger (ER), a software platform that collects protected area activity information (the animals and assets being protected, the rangers protecting them, and threats of potential poaching) into a single, integrated, real-time visualized operational platform. It amalgamates data from different sources including animal GPS tracking collars, ranger digital radio systems/vehicle trackers, and ranger recorded observations. ER allows us to see key information in one place, enabling informed and faster conservation-related operational decisions.

ER was developed in collaboration with Vulcan Inc. through our Conservation Tech Lab. The Lab acts as a field-based space for technologists and scientists to test and deploy solutions, but also as a center for collaboration, learning and sharing knowledge.

Protected areas are faced with numerous ecological, social, and economic challenges both inside and outside their boundaries. Most of these challenges occur over vast spatial scales and are often magnified by a lack of resources to adequately monitor and respond to challenges. The ArcGIS Protected Area Solution (PAM) is an effective way to address these challenges holistically and at scale. PAM allows users to rapidly configure several workflows for effective area management.

M.A.P Scientific Services implemented PAM for the West Lunga Conservation Project (WLCP) in West Lunga National Park, Zambia. The Solution targeted workflows that improve monitoring of the area, these included remote sensing of deforestation and wildfires, law enforcement, wildlife sightings, and community outreach. Outcomes have allowed for improved monitoring and evidence-based management of the protected area that benefits conservation and communities whose livelihoods are intrinsically dependent on the West Lunga ecosystem and its services.

A coalition of conservation organisations supporting and promoting the International Ranger Federation to build a network of well-supported, professional, and capable rangers, who can act effectively as custodians of the natural world. It has produced numerous guidelines and standards of relevance to professionalizing the ranger work-force, including a Code of Conduct, ranger competences, and a document on how rangers support delivery of 30×30. There are 8 organizations URSA can be linked with (for filtering purposes).

The 2022 edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture coincides with the launch of the Decade of Action to deliver the Global Goals, the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. It presents how these and other equally important United Nations events, such as the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA 2022), are being integrated and supported through Blue Transformation, a priority area of FAO’s new Strategic Framework 2022–2031 designed to accelerate achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in food and agriculture. The concept of Blue Transformation emerged from the Thirty-fourth Session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries in February 2021, and in particular the Declaration for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, which was negotiated and endorsed by all FAO Members. The Declaration calls for support for “an evolving and positive vision for fisheries and aquaculture in the twenty first century, where the sector is fully recognized for its contribution to fighting poverty, hunger and malnutrition.” In this context, Part 1 of this edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture reviews the world status of fisheries and aquaculture, while Parts 2 and 3 are devoted to Blue Transformation and its pillars on intensifying and expanding aquaculture, improving fisheries management and innovating fisheries and aquaculture value chains. Blue Transformation emphasizes the need for forward-looking and bold actions to be launched or accelerated in coming years to achieve the objectives of the Declaration and in support of the 2030 Agenda. Part 4 covers current and high-impact emerging issues – COVID-19, climate change and gender equality – that require thorough consideration for transformative steps and preparedness to secure sustainable, efficient and equitable fisheries and aquaculture, and finally draws some outlook on future trends based on projections. The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture aims to provide objective, reliable and up-to-date information to a wide audience – policymakers, managers, scientists, stakeholders and indeed everyone interested in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.